Another mailer for Lance Russell for Attorney General.

Pat Powers

From my mailbox, another endorsement letter from another supporter of Lance Russell’s in the race for Attorney General.

Mark Tubbs for Lance Russell by Pat Powers on Scribd

Another letter? (This might be soapbox time) This would be the third one of these I’ve gotten within 10 days. Suffice it to say that I am NOT a fan of campaign letters. Especially because you have to get people to open them to see what the message is.

I guess as a convention delegate, especially with this three-page letter and the one from the Mayor of Edgemont ten days ago. I’m not sure how this is supposed to move me to vote for Lance.  Considering this is the convention phase, when it’s always been about face-time with the candidate, mass-mailed letters with an indicia marking from Richmond, Virginia addressed to “The Powers Household” are not things that beg me to engage:

I thought the endorsement letter from Brock Greenfield (5 days ago) was a bit more germane and worthwhile because I know Brock, and am familiar with his leadership in the Legislature, but I think if I was doing it, I’d take some of these endorsements and put them to video and push them out to social media, rather than spend the money to print them and mail them.

Lance’s ability to win elections has always been as a result of his tremendous abilities as a retail campaigner, as opposed to being a prolific mass-mailer of letters.   Instead of getting yet another letter, I’d rather hear from the candidate.

But, that’s just my 2 cents worth.

60 thoughts on “Another mailer for Lance Russell for Attorney General.”

  1. Okaaay.

    The next candidate who gets an endorsement from their 8th grade band teacher totally has my vote!

      1. hmmm I can make a million dollars a year being the president of avera or I can try to jump in the AG race at the last minute and further split the vote and assist Lance Russell in becoming the nominee….no chance

      2. I agree that Matt Michael’s would make a good attorney general he would make a good governor who you would give make a good president of Avera.

        He would do it well at all these jobs because they’re all leadership positions and he has a personality.

        I also know for a fact he’s hardly ever been in a courtroom… but I’m okay with that because he has lots of leadership skills which is what the job is all about

        1. Actually Matt Michels was a prosecutor in the Navy, or Army. He prosecuted sex crimes if I recall. So yes, he does have courtroom experience.

          1. I know Michels was in the Navy. It believes that was prior to 1989 from the bio I found below.

            I don’t see Matt running for AG, he didn’t want to be governor, why would you want a lessor office and I too believe he is going to head to Avera.

            But to keep everyone on all sides honest, here is his bio from the Governor’s website

            http://sd.gov/governor/ltgovernor/biography.aspx

  2. Isn’t this “endorser” Lance Russell’s treasurer?

    I mean come on this is ridiculous…I agree with Pondering….

  3. Pat, It is hard to do retail politics when you are running 3 races at once…..

    I agree with your premise though these letters are too long and likely don’t move the dial much…..they may bring him some name ID with delegates but he has so many things that he has not explained….

    Such as his ethics opinion against him, why he is running for multiple races at the same time and his termination as the city attorney of Edgemont…I think any ONE of these is a disqualifier let alone all 3….delegates will hear about those things in time and he will be exposed….he should focus on the state senate as I do not see how he wins the convention let alone the general with all of these items hanging out there.

    Would one of his supporters care to explain these items?

  4. Did Lance get a Presidential Fitness Award patch or Cub Scout Patches we should know about in consideration for his nomination and/or the four positions he is running for?

  6. What really separates him from the field for me is his lack of support among members of law enforcement…none; or states attorneys….. none

  7. Lance would do himself a lot of good to sit down and call delegates the next 4 weeks. Or maybe drive out and visit them.

    I think we are all ready to hear from him instead of his paid staff.

    1. I get your point, but he would be much better off visiting his voters in District 30 and keeping that state senate seat…Rampelberg seems to have a lot more support this time around.

      I saw a post from frmr Rep Mike Verchio taking him to task…oh wait here it is—

      Do you want an Attorney General or state senator who has been : Publicly censured by the South Dakota Supreme Court , Told by a judge he has “exceeded the authority of a State’s Attorney” , “Used his office to further his local political aims” and “to enhance and/or defend his own political career .” ” Violated the rules of Professional Conduct ” , who ” has indicated that he has no present intention of again seeking a position as a public prosecutor”.
      See the Discipline of Lance Russell on the internet or at http:// case law.Find law . com/sd-supreme-court/1564780.html

  8. I am continually unimpressed with lance. This is just one more example of why is lance running for so many offices. Why is he even running st all?

    His only real support is from the crazy fanatic stace, which says a lot.

      1. You are right. The race has always been between Russell and Ravnsborg. This endorsement of Russel by Some Random Dude has changed the whole game.

        1. Right. Mark Tubbs is so well known he has tipped the scales, yuck yuck. I appreciate sarcasm.

        1. My favorite part is to see how strong the press percieves our candidates.

          “Jason Ravnsborg, a Yankton lawyer who goes to Union County to be a volunteer prosecutor. He finished last of five candidates, with 2.8 percent of the vote, in the 2014 Republican primary for U.S. Senate;”

      3. You are not thinking clearly. So the more mailers you send out the more votes you will get? Russell and Fitzgerald are old hat and Ravnsborg represents a fresh start.

        1. I agree Ravnsborg is the only choice in this race….he has ideas and solutions to solve problems, if all these other guys are so experienced why don’t they have any ideas…..

          Ravnsborg also is the only one that can raise money…again if the others are so experienced, as they claim, why doesn’t anyone support them… Russell ran in the hole last reporting period and Fitz has NOTHING when you deduct what he has contributed and loaned his campaign. Do they expect the party to just fund them…good luck with that when we have a gov and congressional race and many ballot issues to fight.

          Plus Ravnsborg has made a lot of statewide contact and set himself up nicely for the general with the Sheriffs and going everywhere….It looks like the other 2 are barely campaigning and complaining about it when they do

          I agree with the premise that we have to pick the best candidate to win in the fall or it doesn’t matter, Ravnsborg in my opinion is that choice

          1. Fitzgerald has earned the position through hard work. He knows criminal law forwards and backwards. He’s not interested in being a politician he’s interested in helping the people of South Dakota. He’s a good man, and an excellent trial lawyer. I like how the other two refused to answer questions in Hanson County. When you are AG you can’t avoid questions. You can’t dodge anything.

            1. Fitzgerald has a 48% conviction rate. Apparently his hard work was not good enough, it earned him a failing grade.

              1. Fitzgerald has been avoiding questions the whole campaign, what are you talking about?

              2. Where did you get that number. It’s more like 90%, stop the trash talk when you don’t have a clue.

                1. What has always disturbed me about Fitzgerald is that he kept track of how many trials he has done….

                  I don’t know any lawyers that have, they can tell me stories about them, but none kept track of wins and losses, they just said they did the best they could at the time. isn’t that what matters?

                  Just seems very narcissistic to me…and fits in to his speech about his Legacy…like it is all about him. I don’t like that.

        2. He represents a lot of delegates concerns.

          Michels would walk away with the nomination.

  9. Objectively speaking most delegates I have talked with are not happy with their selection of candidates for AG.

    Is there a door #4?

    2. door #4 was Charlie Mcguigan who like Fitz thought this race should just be handed to him as it was HIS TURN…I despise candidates like that…..

      1. You are kidding right?

        I watched it and was not impressed it came across just like Fitz…angry…

        we are losing and running a horrible campaign but you should vote or us as it is john’s turn

      2. It was a great speech. What Teupel said is right. It’s hiring the best candidate.

    3. That is funny, I speak to many delegates and I have never heard that except from an anonymous poster on DWC.

  10. Conventions are different from a primary. A candidate can get in or out of the race until the morning of the vote.

    I bet over 65% would entertain a fourth option.

    Anyone registered as a Republican has the right to run. It’s better to run for 6 months or a year but if the field is weak delegates would rather nominate a good candidate like Matt Michels than someone unprepared who has campaigned for years.

    Delegates flip all the time. They vote for the best candidate.

    1. How many delegates have you personally communicated with? I don’t buy your 65%.

      1. 72% of statistics are made up…yeah I just made that up…just like the 65% number above was made up

        1. The vast majority of delegates think the candidates are a weak field.

          Seiler raised $90k in a month.

          Let’s try Door #5.

  12. I just wonder how many anonymous bloggers have endorsed him.
    It would make a great TV spot, somebody wearing a paper bag on his head, giving an endorsement.

  13. Lance’s letter isn’t bad. The fact that it is postmarked in Virginia is such a major distraction to the letter that it negates it altogether.

  16. Dumb question, but do candidates know who the convention delegates are? Is there a list somewhere? Are they able to target those convention delegates directly?

    1. Yes. The Secretary of State’s website has the people who signed up to be Precinct Committee men and women as well as At Large Delegates. The other delegates are 4 officers from each county party.

  19. at the rate Russell is burning money on these cards will he have any left for the general election even if he made it out of the convention?

  21. Lance forgot to focus on his state senate race. Bruce Rampelberg is likely going to win it, and if so, it’s checkmate for Lance at the convention. He can’t win the nomination if he can’t keep the senate seat in his district two weeks prior.

    1. If Lance loses that statements seat to Rampelberg….conservatives will be mad

  23. Over/Under 3 more letters by Lance from people we have never heard of before the convention

    Thoughts?

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